Dinakaran seeks ouster of Chief Whip Rajendran

The communique which was handed over to the Speaker claimed that the shuffling was effected on behalf of the party’s interim general secretary V K Sasikala, who is incarcerated in Parappana Agrahara prison in a wealth case, and follows an intra-party decision to appoint Vetrivel who also couriered the letter. 

The development prompted the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to have an impromptu huddle with Dhanapal at the latter’s chamber. Sources said the duo had deliberated the ramifications the letter could have on the present government and the disqualification proceedings necessitated against 19 MLAs that withdrew their support to the CM. Dhanapal had earlier ordered notices directing the legislators to appear before him on September 14. 

The pro-TTV MLAs were expected to record their submissions on Thursday as to why action should not be taken against them regarding their earlier letter to the Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao withdrawing support to EPS. The legislators must reply as to why they should be disqualified for withdrawing support to the CM under the provisions of the Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (Disqualification of Defection) Rules, 1986. 

The action against the MLAs was initiated by the Speaker following a letter from Rajendran, who is also Ariyalur MLA. The move by Dinakaran’s letter of replacing Rajendran was aimed at countering the notices ordered against his supporters. Pro-TTV MLAs had already dubbed the notice as invalid while one of them –  MLA STK Jakkaiyan (Cumbum) had switched his allegiance to the ruling dispensation.